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Thread: A Pineapple challenges a Hare to a Race

  1. #1

    A Pineapple challenges a Hare to a Race

    Someone needs to start testing the people who write the tests.

    http://www.buffalonews.com/city/scho...icle826865.ece

    From the Buffalo News. A must read for parents with school age children.

  2. #2
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Last week, students and teachers complained about questions on the eighth-grade English test that were based on a reading passage that put a twist on a well-known fable. The modern version highlighted in the test features a pineapple and a hare, rather than a tortoise and a hare.

    The pineapple challenges the hare to a race, and then is eaten by animals in the forest after losing the race. Multiple-choice test questions asked students, among other things, why the animals ate the pineapple, and how the animals felt toward the pineapple.

    In response to the complaints, state Education Commissioner John B. King Jr. decided not to count the six questions toward test scores.
    What he should do is fire the idiots who came up with that question.

    Education Department, King, John, Deputy Commr, Annual salary $186,506 and that is the best he could do?

    And people have to discuss why we are falling behind in education in the USA.

  3. #3
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    What he should do is fire the idiots who came up with that question.

    Education Department, King, John, Deputy Commr, Annual salary $186,506 and that is the best he could do?

    And people have to discuss why we are falling behind in education in the USA.
    King did not create the test. A company was paid $32,000,000.00 to create the tests.

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by leftWNYbecauseofBS View Post
    King did not create the test. A company was paid $32,000,000.00 to create the tests.
    I don't care if he didn't create the test. Doesn't he basically have final say how things are done? Doesn't he review and others review the questions before hand?

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    It's good to know that teachers will be judged based on these measures, we can all have confidence that the State Ed is working hard to make everyone accountable.

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by Genoobie View Post
    It's good to know that teachers will be judged based on these measures, we can all have confidence that the State Ed is working hard to make everyone accountable.
    So Genoobie, why a pineapple?

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    I don't know. The original author doesn't know either...

    http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.1065566

    That's ok, Buffalo's kids have been failing these tests for years, they didn't see the sense in them a *long* time ago...

  8. #8
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    People really need to be fired for this. And how is 32 million spent to generate tests? Exactly how many various test are made each year? Does basic math, basic reading along with the skills you need to know change every year?

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    Unbelievable, the purpose of testing to such extreme has been lost in translation. It is only to justify the bureaucrats position. Whatever the h E ll that is.
    So sad that our educational system have become a three ring circus and our children are in the middle of it. NYS education including the union hold, has brought this to a crisis. Occupy Buffalo should now become Occupy Education. The force should really focus on that.

    I think the article in the paper today written by Rod Watson, "Waiting for miracle won't fix the schools" pretty much sums it up. He quotes, "and the vast majority of parents, rather than take up the fight, will keep waiting for a miracle. Obviously, they've haven't heard that the Lord helps those who help themselves."

    My question, is there some consequence for parents preventing their children from taking the ELA exams?

  10. #10
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Genoobie View Post
    That's ok, Buffalo's kids have been failing these tests for years, they didn't see the sense in them a *long* time ago...

    While the test is awful...at least it was multiple choice. We both know what the results would be if they had to actually read. write and complete math items that truly gauged how they compared to 8th grade standards.

  11. #11
    This story is stuck in my head like a stupid tune that haunts my brain for hours.

    Okay, sometime between 2014 and 2017, all New York State Schools will be required to have a teacher evaluation process in effect. I'm assuming it will be similar to the one the state is forcing on the Buffalo Schools. Part of a Teacher's performance evaluation will be the results of state tests. BUT THE KIDS DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE TEST IF THEIR PARENTS DON'T WANT THEM TO!

    That seems fair.

    Rod Watson subtly or inadvertently made a point in his latest column. There's 35,000(?) kids in the buffalo schools and only 40 parents showed up to protest in front of Phil Rumore's office? I read into that; if the parents don't take the time and effort to fight for their kids (care for their kids), what motivation do the kids have to care? And this is the teacher's fault?

    What's going to happen in the suburbs when part of a teacher's evaluation is based on test performance, and a growing number of parents tell their kids not to take the tests. Do you think suburban teachers are going to support this type of evaluation?

  12. #12
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    is it possible to get copies of these test to review? Not a sample, the actual test.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    is it possible to get copies of these test to review? Not a sample, the actual test.
    you wanna take the test

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    Quote Originally Posted by Genoobie View Post
    I don't know. The original author doesn't know either...

    http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.1065566

    That's ok, Buffalo's kids have been failing these tests for years, they didn't see the sense in them a *long* time ago...
    Let's be honest... do most buffalo kids know what a Pineapple is?
    "I know you guys enjoy reading my stuff because it all makes sense. "

    Dumbest post ever! Thanks for the laugh PO!

  15. #15
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by reformthi$ View Post
    you wanna take the test
    I'd like to see what more of the questions are.

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